Method fob loading artificial silk



Aug. 22, 1933. R. CLAVEL' 1,923,189

METHOD FOR LOADING ARTIFICIAL SILK CONTAINING FABRICS Filed Aug. 23, 1928 In ven for:

Rene C'Zgwe? 5, M

Attorney atented Aug. 22,

LOADING ARTIFICIAL SILK NTAINING memos METHOD FOB Ben Clavel, Basel, Switaerland Application August 23, 1928, Serial No. 301,495, and in Switzerland August 23, 1927 4Claims.

This invention relates to a process for loading brics consisting of or containing artificial silk ith metallic compounds and consists in moving e fabric continuously forward and during this ovement bringing it into successive contact with lutions of all or part of the substances or mixres of substances necessary'for loading the silk. Iie operation is preferably carried out by the bric being passed through a series of baths arnged in succession which, when it is a question loading with tin phosphate silicate, contain in ccession the stan'nic-chloride, alkali phosphate 1d silicate solutions. It is not necessary for all e loading agents to act successively on the coniuously moving fabric. Thus, for the example, the tin-phosphate silicate loading, only the male chloride and the alkali phosphate may allowed to act on the moving silk fabric and e silicate is then brought into contact with the brie in themanner hitherto usual, without the bric being moved forward. When it is a quesin of producing a lustrous artificial silk it is adsable to treat the fabric with solutions of acids acid salts before being immersed in the solum of metallic salts or to add acids or acid salts the metallic salt bath. If, on the other hand, is a question of a matt or dull lustre loading, the eatment with metallic salt in the presence of ids may be eliminated. s

It is advisable to squeeze the fabric out on transrence from one bath to the next and to lead the ading liquid which is squeezed out back into .e previous bath in order to avoid losses in loadg agents and any eventual errors in the loading. :is squeezing operation is advisable particularly fore the artificial silk enters the metallic salt nth, the phosphate bath and the sodium silicate nth which may also be added if necessary and particularly powerful in these cases. The fabtreated with one loading subtance may be alwed to remain in contact with the air for a long arlod before the second loading material acts I the fabric 80 that the periods of action of the di'vidual liquids on the continuously moving silk brie shall not be too short. This is preferably rented by the portion of fabric treated with one bstance being allowed to remain stationary for period adjusted as desired before it passes into e bath containing another agent without, hower, interrupting the general process and the ovement of the remaining portion of fabric. It ay be advisable to'heat the fabric or to keep it Inn during this rest period particularly in the so of treatment with sodium silicate.

A thoroughly satisfactoryand unexceptionable loading of the artificial silk fabric can be obtained in a very short time and with continuous operation by working according to the invention by allowing the individual loading agents to act in succession on the continuously moving artiflw cial silk fabric. A relatively long period has hitherto been necessary for this purpose and continuous operation could not be employed. The degree of loading can also be regulated when working according to the invention by allowing the textile material to pass several times through, for example, the tin and phosphate baths according to the invention; the fabric is preferably well washed between the separate passages. It is also advisable to wash the fabric thor- 7o oughly before transferring it to the sodium sillcate solution and before winding it on, which can be carried out very simply without interrupting the continuous operation by allowing the, fabric to pass through a vessel supplied with water or to remain stationary without, however, interrupting the movement of the fabric in another part of the apparatus.

The application also discloses an apparatus for carrying out the new process which consists B0 essentially of a series of vessels for containing the liquids used in the treatment arranged in succession, i. e.:'in series one after the other or above one another which are provided with a mechanism for moving the fabric continuously forward from the winding-oil drum and to guide it through the vessel. These vessels are preferably provided with guide rollers immersed in the liquid. below which the fabric, is passed through the liquid. The winding-oil tanks are arranged between the individual vessels or between groups of vessels in which the corresponding portions of the fabric are stored up and remain stationary for a short or long period as desired before passing through the next vessel," The movement of the portion of the fabric not located in the'winding offtank is however not interrupted thereby. The winding of! tanks must be constructed so that the artificial silk fabric can enter and emerge therefrom without any hindrance. Those tanks which are open'at the top and preferably flat are therefore suitable. In a particularly suitable form of construction these winding of! tanks consist of two relatively inclined faces arranged between the individual vessels so that the divergence of the angle formed 'by 'the two faces is in the direction of the suc-' heatmaterial or to keep it warm which is parn particularly before the first vessel for the solution of metallic salt, phosphate solution and silicate solution in order to be' able to express the liquid. :.The washing troughs supplied with washing liquid are attached to the vessel containing the phosphate and, if necessary, to the last vessel containing the sodium silicate and are provided with mechanism guiding the fabric in the trough in several convolutions, for example, a plurality of rollers. The washing troughs may,

also, however, be supplied with a mechanism which causes the fabric to rest in the washing trough similarly as in the winding-off tanks without interrupting the movement of the remainder of the fabric thereby. In order to be able to reg! ulate the lengths of the individual periods of rest as simply as possible, it is advisable to attach a so-called "run to the fabrics Thus, the first run, which may consist for example of a strip of artificial silk is first passed through the machine and the lengths of the first run corresponding to the desired periods of rest are placed in the winding-oil tanks and, if necessary, in the washing troughs.

One form of construction of an apparatus suitable for carrying out the new process is shown diagrammatically in the drawing in the form used when it is a question of producing a tin-phosphate-silicate loading in which it is not intended that the artificial silk shall lose its lustre.

The fabric 2 is led from the winding-off drum 1 through a vessel 3 below rollers 4, 5, containing a 10% solution of mono-chlor-acetic acid; after emerging from this vessel the fabric passes through a pair of rollers 6, arranged above'and Qidirectly behind the vessel, 3, a mechanism, '1,

regulating the draw-off and into a tank- 8 in which enough artificial silk fabric is allowed to collect to give the necessary period of rest. The silk is then conveyed from this winding-off tank 8 which consists of two relatively inclined plates 9 and 10, preferably fitted with glass, the angle of divergence of which is directed towards the next vessel 11, over a roller 12, and below rollers 13, 14,

through water in a vessel, 11, in order to remove excess free acid. From the vessel 11, the artificial silk passes through a squeezing device 15 into the vessel 16 which contains a solution of stannic chloride of specific gravity 35 B. and also provided with guide rollers 17 and 18. From this vessel 16 the artificial silk then passes over a pair of rollers 6a, a winding-01f device 19 in and through a winding-off tank 20 of the same construction as the tank 8. Enough artificial silk is again collected at this point to give the desired period of rest. The artificial silk is then led over a roller 21 through a second vessel 22, provided with guide rollers, 23 and 24, also containing a 35 B. stannic chloride solution, to be collected again after emerging from this vessel, 22, in a winding-off tank 25 in which the desired period of rest is obtained.

The fabric 2, then passes over a stretcher 26 of the usual construction in which the fabric is finally again widened, through a squeezer, 27

and into a vessel 28, containing a 10% solution of mono-sodium-di-hydrogen-phosphate and also provided with guide rollers 29, 30. The fabric again passes from this vessel 28 into a winding-off mechanism 81 in which suflicient artificial silk is collected to give the necessary len th 1 the hydrogen-phosphate. again passed through a stretcher 32 into a vesse desired period of action of the mono-sodiumfii The artificial silk is the! 33 provided with one or more guide rollers 34 an containing di-sodium-mono-hydrogen-phosphat with the addition of a small quantity of sodium carbonate. A washing trough 35 supplied wit running water and having a plurality of guid rollers, 36, in order to lead the fabric through th washing trough in several convolutions follow this vessel.

The continuous loading process can be intei rupted at this point and the silicate treatmer carried out in the manner hitherto usual wit]: out continuous movement of the artificial si] fabric. Further additional vessels, winding-o devices and squeezers similar to the devices 15-: can be inserted after the winding-off tank 2 before the vessel 33, in order to allow furth passage through the tin and phosphate befo: treatment with silicate. The fabric from t] winding-oil tank 31 may also be again pass through the 'squeezer 15 and the devices succee ing thereto, one or more times in order to ma] several passages through the tin and phospha baths.

In this connection it is, however, advisable wash the artificial silk before each fresh passa for example, in washing troughs such as 2 The vessel, '33, containing the phosphate soluti having an alkaline reaction throimh which t artificial silk passes before the treatment wi the silicate can be eliminated. In this case it advisable to add di-sodium-mono-hydroge phosphate and. some carbonate 'to t washing water in the trough 35.

Theartificial silk fabric emerging from t washing trough'35 is then again led through stretcher 37 and a squeezer 38 into a vessel provided with guide rollers 40 and 41 and er taining a solution of sodium-silicate of speci gravity of at least 1 B. and with 2 grammes soap per litre at 60 C. From this vessel 391 fabric passes over a roller 42 into the vessel which contains a solution of sodium silicate specific gravity of at least 1' B. at 60 without the addition of any soap and is 2: provided with guide rollers 44 and 45. From t vessel 43, the fabric 2 passes into a windingmechanism 46, entirely enclosed by a casing so as to prevent the temperature of the fat dropping below 50 C., in this chamber, whicl also heated. The vessel 48, following this wii ing-ofl tank 46 again contains a solution sodium silicate of at least 1 B. at 60 C. an provided with guide rollers 49 to 50. A windi off mechanism 51 with a housing 52, in'ordei prevent the temperature of the artificial dropping below 50 0. follows this vessel 48. artificial silk is then heavily ioaded and p8: through a stretcher 53 into a washing trough provided with guide rollers and supplied v soft water. From this washing trough the fa] 2, passes over a roller 56, through a winding mechanism 57 and on to a table 58, where i piled up. A winding mechanism may aiso'be r vided instead of this table 58.

The arrangement described as an example construction may be modified very extensi' without departing from the scope of the in tion. Thus, for example, several vessels cont: ing the same liquid may be arranged after another or above one another. A numbe1 these vessels can be suitably arranged accon tothespeed' with which the artiflcialsilki be loaded and according to the degree of loading to be produced. Further winding-oil devices which insure the material resting for a period before entering the fresh bath-may be omitted. In this case, other devices must be provided which render possible the resting of the artificial silk in the individual vessels for containing the liquids used for the treatment or provision must be made that the artificial silk is led through the separate baths at only a very low velocity. The vessels containing the liquids can be provided with heating devices for example, heating pipes in order to be able to adjust the temperature to any predetermined value. The whole apparatus is preferably driven by a single motor with suitable connecting and transmission gears.

By artificial silk I mean any kind of synthetic textile material having the appearance of natural silk and consisting mainly of cellulose derivatives.

I claim:

1. A method for loading artificial silk containing fabrics in which the fabric to be loaded is passed continuously through baths containing in succession a solution of an organic acid, tin tetrachloride solution, and alkali-metal phosphates.

2. A method of loading artificial silk containing fabrics, in which the fabric to be loaded is moved continuously forward, which comprises moving the fabric succewvely through an acid bath and squeezing out the fabric, moving the fabric through a metal salt bath and squeezing out the fabric, and then moving the fabric through'a bath of alkali phosphate. I

3. A method of loading artificial silk containing fabrics, in which the fabric to be loaded is moved continuously forw'ard, which comprises moving the fabric successively through an acid bath and squeezing-out the fabric, moving the 

